Rope climbing and supporting device



Aug. 19, 1924.

A. LOWERY ROPE CLIMBING ANDSUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 13, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug; 19 1924.

, A. LQWERY I ,360

ROPE

CLIMBIAG AND SUPPORTING DEVICE F1 \7 led Nov. 15, 1922 5 Sheet Sh S- 6 t E 1" .5. E e 2 g i w I n? I QB m i h Mm:

25 I.- DWET'IB A. LOWERY ROPE CLIMBING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE 3 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Nov. 13 1922 gnmwnfoz Patented Aug. l9, 1924.

a g a 4 f isosasa Fl C E aLvn nownnv, on asronia, 0REGON.' v

Born oniirvrenve AND sirrron'rlne DEVICE.

' Application filed November 13, 1922,-- Serial No. 600,674.. I

This invent-ion relates toimprovements in rope climbing and supporting devices.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a device which will find its most general use inconnection with rope or cable climbing, and by means of which a person may readily mount or demount the cable or-rope, in safety, and, without the necessity of exerting manual effort.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a practical type of climbing device for rope cables, whereby an economic and effective arrangement is provided, which may be utilized in connection with the sealing of stacks, elevators, high buildings, and other places ordinarily inaccessible, except in conjunction with a compact climbing arrangement.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a climbing device for ropes, which is adapted for stirrup carriage upon the legs of a user, so that the user may readi ly ascend or descend a cable, rope, or other device of like character.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein simi lar reference characters designate corre sponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective view, showing the manner in which a person may utilize the improved climbers in connection with the scaling of a stack or similar construction.

Figure 2 is a. persect-ive view of an improved rope climbing stirrup.

FigureS is a cross sectional View, showing certain cooperating details of this invention.

Figure -lis an inside view of the improved rope climbing device.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially onthe line 55 of Figure 3 with the ankle engaging strap'omitted.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the rope clam ing portion of this invention, show mg t e same in position to permit movement,

along a rope or cable,

in. this invention in secure engagement with through cooperating j a-w elements embodiedv in this inventiomshowing the'intermeslnng' Figure 7 is a side elevatiomshowing the I improved clamping arrangement-embodied a rope. V.

F igure 8 15' a. cross sectional view, showing theimanner in which certain jaw elements of the clamping arrangement-zeni- I bodied in this: inventionare serrated to 00 operat ivith thestrandsof'a rope or 031 016.15 1:

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view, taken:

and cooperatingrelation,ofthe same; T;

Figure 1O is a 'transversercross sectional, view, taken substantiallybn theline 10-710 i;

of Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a perspective view'of a plate supporting elementxembodied in this invens tion.

Figure 12 is a front perspective view of the manner in which theimproved'device is carried by the foot and "leg ofa user, and showing the manner in which the same 00- operates with a rope or cable. p

In th drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration is shown but the preferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A. designates a rope or othersupporting de- I j vice, such as a cable, withwhich the nil-t5, proved devices Bare adapted for use in: connection" with a climbin operatiorn Referring to the (rope ,the same may be of any approved construction or arrange- Inent.

In the majority ofinstances, this rope A'may be the ordinary manilarope or steel cable, formedof a 'pluralityjofbraided or spirally Wound strands ofmaterial-15.

Referring to the deviceB', ;a pair of the same are used in connection; with: a climbing operation; a personstrapping or other Wise aflixinga device B to each of his legs,, as will be more specifically, set-forth hereinafter, and substantially-as is illustrated loo; in Figure. 1- of the d1 a wingsa Eachdevice 13 preferablyincludes an; L-sha-ped stirrup 1 i frame 20, which may be of-steel 1 any ap proved material, includingthe; upstanding leg portion 21, which isz preferablyv o -fi'set,-; 05 asat 22, intermediate its ends toconform-toq; 1 the inside ankle bone ofthe -user. vThe foot engaging portion :23 of the stirrup framev 20- is disposed substantiallyat right-angle;

to the leg ,portionQl, and "is outturned, a; at 24, upon its ends; -the end portion; 2;;

being, providecb with a -.transverse,-apertur i z 25 therein, which oscillatively and adjustably receives a link 26 of substantially tri angular formation. The upper end of the stirrup leg 21 is provided with a staple or loop member 27, which provides a transverse opening or slot 28 upon the outside surface of the leg portion 21, and within which a leg strapping arrangement 29 cooperates, as will be. subsequently described A supporting plate is preferably provided for cooperation with the stirrup frame 20, having a transverse opening 36 in the lower portion thereof, which rotatably receives the-smooth bearing surface 38 of a bolt or rivet member 39. This member 39 is adapted for screw threaded engagement within a screw threaded socket 10, which is formed inwardly of the foot engaging portion 23 from thexoutside'surface of the frame 20, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. A loop portion 41. is preferably provided adjacent the up: per edge of the plate 85, extending inwardly of the inside surface 42 of the same, and providing a slot or opening 44 which slidably receives the leg portion 21 of the frame 20 therethrough, so that said supporting plate 35 may be mounted upon the outside of the frame 20 adjacent the lower end thereof, being oscillatively supported by the enlarged bearing end of the bolt 39, and limited in its oscillation by contact of the edges of theleg portion 21 with the ends of .the slottl. g V

Clamping jaws 4E7 a'nd48 are provided, which are oscillativelysupported upon the outside surface 49 of the supporting plate 35, as by bolts 50, which engage through certain transverse openings 51 in the plate 35, and are retained thereon as by the nuts 52.

The jaw elements 47 and 48 are somewhat similar in construction, each including an ear 55 which receives a bolt 50, above mentioned, so thatsaid jaws may be oscillated. In their normal positions, the jaws 47 and $8 each include vertical portions 58, the facing cam surfaces-'60 of which define a passageway therebetween,adapted to receive the rope A. The facing cam surfaces 60, are eccentrically struck with respect to the axes upon which said jaws oscillate, so that as the jaws 47' and-4C8 are relatively oscillated upwardly on the supporting plate 35, the passageway for reception of the rope A, is constrictedin cross section. It can readily be understood that uponsuflicient upward movement of the jaws they will be clamped to the rope A for supporting the plate 35 in a set position, all of which is incident to engagement of the cam faces againstthe strands 15 of the supporting ropeA.

These-cam faces 60-are serrated, to provide the shallow spiral grooves 63, within which the strands 15 of the supporting cable A are received during a clamping operation, so that there will be no liability of slipping of the clamped jaws over the rope A during 'a supporting operation. In order to insure synchronous movement of the aws 4:7 and Tntermeshing guard fingers and 71 are respectively provided upon the j awed? and i8, which, when said jaws are clamped to a cable A, as is illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, extend laterally over the cable or rope to prevent any liability of lateral sliding disconnection of the device B from the cable A.

Referring to the manner of connecting a device B to the leg of a user, the leg portion 21 of the stirrup frame 20 is disposed vertically along the inside of the leg of the user, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. To clamp the stirrup frame 20 to the foot of the user, a strap 80 is provided, which is connected to one portion of the triangular shaped retaining ring 26. A buckle 81 is carried by the link strap portion 82, the latter also beingconnected to the retaining ring 26. WVith this construction, the free end of the strap 80 may adjustably engage the buckle 81 for strapping about the foot of the user, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 12 of the drawings, the strap 80 preferably looping about the outside surface of the frame 20.

A leg guard 90, preferably of some flexible leather is provided for connection to the upper end of the stirrup leg 21. This guard may be riveted, as at 91, intermediate its ends to the leg 21. The upper portion of the guard 90 may be provided with the guard loops 92- and 93, conveniently slotted therein. In conjunction with these loop portions 92 and 93, and the staple 27, of

the stirrup frame 20, a strap 95 may be provided, which is adapted for threading through the opening 28 of the staple 27, and for threading through the loops 92 and 93, so that the strap 95 may encircle the leg of the user, substantially as is'illustrated in Fi ure 1 of the drawin s and strad the device B thereto.

The operation of the improved device can be readily ascertained from the cooperative positioning of the parts, as illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive. As is illustrated Figure 6 of the drawings, the jaws 47 climber ascension, When in 'this position,

the jaws; '47an d are, bytheiiffweight, held in [such position that the passageway betwee if the jawsis open to permit lateral insertion of the cableztherein, Aftr 'the climber has so swung his leg upon which the device B is mountedithat the cable A is disposed'in the passageway, and upon placing his weight upon the device B, it can readily be understood that the serrations or spiral grooves 63 in the facing cam surfaces of the jaws 47 and 48, will receive the con tour of the cable strands 15, so that said cam surfaces 60 of the jaw surfaces 47 and 48 will be relatively proximately moved to tighten upon the rope A. At the same time, the fingers and 71 will be laterally moved to guard against accidental disconnection of the device B from the cable A, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawing. In this cooperation of the clamping jaws 47 and 48, the device B will be maintained in a set position on the cable or rope A, incident to the weight of the climber, so that the climber may bear his entire weight thereon for ascending said cable A.

The importance of oscillatively mounting the plate 35 on the stirrup frame 20 is obvious, when it is considered that the flexing of the leg of the operator necessitates a sort of oscillative movement in connection with the cable A with the cooperating jaws 48 as a center. Such movement of the legs of the user does not consequently interfere with the clamping engagement of the jaws 47 or 48 withthe rope or cable A. When the climber desires to lift one leg above the other, for further ascension on the cable A, it can readily be understood that by releasing his weight, and partly by upward pull, the jaws 47 and 48 will be rocked or oscillated, so that they will swing intoctheir open position as is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, whereby the device B may be laterally moved from the cable A for a further upward movement. The aws 47 and 48 are normally maintained in their open position incident to their own weight, and in this respect, the enlarged tooth 69 cooperates against its cooperating jaw member 47 From the foregoing description ofthis invention, it can be readily understood that an improved climbing device has been pro.- vided, which is extremely practical and will permit of the ascension of a climber with a greater degree of safety than is possible in the scaling of a ladder. The cooperating features of the jaws 47 and 48 in connection with the clamping plate 35 need not necessarily be limited to their mounting upon a ai b e; T r ep r ng; minu e ta,

, li lis tumps, but maybe u dein l na. c c, ec ei mum y? d v e-iw i t i d i ed;-

, ppe upd tes-c e Thus, he F; operating jaws 4Zjand' 48lia'veg been used in, f connectionfwith' the i'supporting of a seat f upon' a ,singlejstrand,ofjcable A, ed that a ireter diale l ed' oi' em y s pp a himself inla predetermined ,position upon I in the shape, s ze and ar; g m n b ffl rt m y, be, mad L e a form" of I invention herein shown and dc scribed, without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described,,-the combination of a' supporting member, jaws movably mounted upon said supporting member including cam surfaces provided with spiral serrations therein, said jaws adapted to cooperate with a rope so'that the spiral serrations therein may engage the contour of the rope strands to effect a clamping operation of the jaws on the rope upon movement of the supporting member in one direction along said rope.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stirrup for clamping to the leg of a user, a plate pivotally connected to said stirrup and having limited pivotal movement, and rope engaging jaws adjustable along said plate.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stirrup, a plate oscillatively connected to the lower end of said stirrup, and jaws oscillatively carried by the plate.

4. In adevice of the class described, the combination of a stirrup, means for mounting said stirrup upon the leg of a climber, a plate oscillatively mounted at the lower end of said stirrup upon the outside surface of the latter, means defining the amplitude of oscillation of said plate upon said stirrup, and clamp-ing jaws outwardly carried by said plate having facing cam surfaces providing a passageway for reception of a device to be climbed.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stirrup frame, means for clamping said stirrup frame to the leg of a user, a supporting plate pivotally carried atthe extreme lower inside surface of said stirrup, said supporting plate having a slot upwardly therein, receiving said stirrup therethrough to define the amplitude of oscillation of the supporting plate upon said stirrup, and rope climbing means mo-vably carried by said plate.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stirrup frame, means for clamping said stirrup frame to the leg of a climber, a' plate oscillatively carried at the lower portion'of the side of said stirrup frame, a pair of clamping jaws oscillatively oscillatively' carried by said frame, a pair of clamping jaws oscillatively carried by said supporting plate for movement toward and away from each other into and out of an article gripping position, and guard means upon said jaws adapted to be moved into position upon releasing of said jaws from the article to be gripped ,toprevent lateral disconnection of the jaws from the 20 article.

ALVA LOWERY. 

